Tsuyuei Gokagai

A blog dedicated to the study of the various kagai around Japan

[tsuyueigokagai]

An absolutely lovely photo of geiko Satsuki-san with her very first imouto, Geiko Mitsuki-san on the day of Geiko Mitsuki-san’s erikae! It’s been an absolute pleasure watching these two young women growing together over the past few years. They both compliment each other so well not only in appearance but also in personality! You have bubbly and outgoing Satsuki-san, while Mitsuki-san is more quiet and reserved and I think the both of them have brought the best out in each other in a really incredible way!

Credits to Satsuki-san from her own Instagram

https://instagram.com/kyoto_gion_satsuki?igshid=1fmb1ui8i34vy

[missmyloko]

October 19th, 2020: Congratulations to Kyoto’s two newest geiko on the occasion of their erikae! From Gion Kobu there’s Mitsuki (美月) of Tsurui (つる居) and in Pontocho there’s Ichiyū (市結) of Katsumi (勝見)! Mitsuki is currently the #1 overall highest earning geimaiko in her district and is the imōto of the famous Satsuki. Ichiyū has also been incredibly successful and is the imōto of the well respected and highly esteemed Ichiraku. Both women have extremely bright futures ahead of them in the karyukai as geiko ^^! おめでとうさんどす美月さんと市結さん ^o^! Images are courtesy of My Kyoto Photo [1] [2].

[koikishu]

May 2020: Aoi-tayuu, of Suehiro okiya, wearing a tayuu inspired Amabie (アマビエ) costume designed by Tsukasa-tayuu. Amabie is a legendary Japanese mermaid who told an Edo period official to use an image of her as a cure for any peoples who fall ill from plague. As a result, depictions of Amabie have been popular talismans against Covid-19 in Japan.

Image Source: https://omatsurijapan.com/blog/real-amabie/#i-4

Information Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amabie#COVID-19

[tsuyueigokagai]

Oh!! That’s why she was wearing blue extensions!! That makes a lot of sense!

[moushidoodle]

Hi all!! I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. Things have been extremely hectic but I hope everyone is doing well!

Despite not posting I’ve actually continued to practice drawing so I’m hoping there’s some improvement~ this was my very first grayscale digital painting I’ve ever done and I was so excited and happy with how it came out. I’m actually planning on doing inktober in mostly black and white with geiko, maiko, and the general karyukai as my theme, so wish me luck!! I actually managed to goof up a bit in that her hair ornaments are a mix between a senior and junior maiko with the bundle of flowers and the lush I, but then her under collar would definitely be worn by a junior maiko. Oops, but I still really like how it turned out and i hope you enjoy it as well!!

[tsuyueigokagai]

This is my art blog if anyone is interested in checking it out^^

[missmyloko]

The Gokagai Shut Down

For the first time since 1944 the gokagai of Kyoto have been forced to closed. All ochaya and places to meet maiko and geiko have shut down while all maiko and geiko have been ordered to return to their family homes and will not be allowed to return until the end of Golden Week in May. This is subject to change and may be extended depending on the circumstances. 

[tsuyueigokagai]

I rise from the dead just for this.

Maiko Umehina-san of Umeno is finally wearing Sakkou!!! I hope this means she will actually be having an erikae and isn't just a nicety the okaa-san or Atatori are allowing her to do but omg she looks amazing~

Image is from katufumi on Instagram ^^

Congratulations maiko Umehina-san!!

[missmyloko]

Spotlight - Special Tribute

For The First Day Of Fun I present… something very different that I haven’t done before. This is about someone who really changed the karyukai for the better, even if people will not say so on record or may be too modest to admit. This is about a person who you likely never have met nor even heard of, but they are a great reason as to why you’ve even reading this in the first place.  For privacy’s sake and the sake of their family I’m only going to tell you about the person themselves as I knew them best. Without their direct permission I will not be sharing real names, but rather just usernames. Please enjoy.

Onihide-san, The Exception To All Rules

Simple and refined.  Back when I was new to the entire karyukai scene around 2005 everything felt like a secret club. The only real information that I could find was from Kyoko Aihara’s book, and that was about it. Trying to meet other enthusiasts through forums was a bit disastrous as they cared more about who’s a queen bee and who has more items than others. I don’t remember exactly how, but one day in 2008 I landed on Flickr, and that random click would change my life. Not only did I find beautiful images of maiko and geiko, but people who were very open about their experiences! One of the biggest photographers was Onihide-san, whose page views and activity were among the highest (if not the highest) of the geimaiko photographers. It felt a bit intimidating, but I quickly realized that people who asked him questions got responses! And not just one word answers either; he would take the time to answer any question that you had as he was very excited to find other people who were interested in geimaiko.

With images as stunning as this, who wouldn’t feel intimidated? So, who was Onihide-san and why did he take photographs of maiko and geiko? Well, before he really invested heavily in photography he was a customer in Gion Kobu who had a great reputation among the geimaiko. From there, he wanted to show others what he saw, and what he saw was truly unique. Just from the way that he frames his subjects and the manages to capture their sincere emotions is a giveaway that the photograph was taken by him. You can line up a bunch of images of the same maiko from various photographers and it will always be easy to spot which one was his.

Tsuneyū of Shigenoya in Gion Higashi on stage, captured in his unique style. One of the easiest ways to see his intentions in his photographs is to look at the women in them. He may have been a street photographer at times, but you can tell that he always got consent from the women themselves to take their portraits. If they didn’t stop to pose then you can clearly see the greetings in their eyes as they converse with a well known friend. He didn’t have to go out on the streets to see maiko and geiko, but he did anyway as he loved to see them away from the formalities of an ozashiki and interact within their communities.

Kyōka of Tsurui in Gion Kobu easily recognizes the adept photographer.

Ichimomo of Ichi in Kamishichiken flashes a quick smile for a familiar face. And so he taught through his images, where memorizing the smallest detail helps to understand the entire context. Just like a minarai, you learn by observing, and it’s through these observations that you come to understand how everything added up to the way that it was and how many countless individuals come together to make the person that you see in those images. If there was something you weren’t too sure about then he’d help you out with it in a bid to teach in the most patient way possible. Instead of being stressed by a constant bombardment of questions he was excited for the chance to talk to other enthusiasts and always gave detailed answers.

Ayano of Yamaguchi in Pontocho in a moment on stage. One of the greatest things that he ever taught was to not let yourself be blinded by the old notions or hang ups of the karyukai, but rather to follow your heart and do what feels right to you. Back in those early days the Fukushima okiya had just opened, and with it came many reservations from current customers about showing their allegiance for such a new establishment as they did not want to arouse the internal politics of the karyukai. Onihide-san ignored the politics and instead focused on a wonderful maiko who seemed to be invisible to the other photographers: Ayano (彩乃). It is through his lens that Ayano became a person, not just a doll with white makeup. They genuinely liked spending time together, and it shows in every image of Ayano that he ever took. Some are silly, some are serious, while others are just in this fun spot that’s in between everything else. His popularity, along with his photographs of Ayano, are the biggest reasons that the karyukai became accessible to outsiders who had no other way to learn and to insiders who were reminded that nothing can ever change by simply following the flow. Without those images I am certain that the Fukushima okiya would not be as prosperous as it is today as his exposure of Ayano was critical at such a vulnerable time for them.

Ayano, a fresh maiko from a fresh okiya with understated beauty.

Ayano makes a fox shadow in a moment of relaxation and fun.

Ayano went from obscure to well known via Onihide-san’s influence online. In the end, you may be asking: what’s the point in making a spotlight about a single photographer like this? Yes, I would like to shine a spotlight on other photographers in the future, but this isn’t so much of a spotlight as it is a memorial. News of Onihide-san’s death broke on December 24th, 2010, eight years ago now, but it still feels so vivid. His loss marked a return to the more closed ways of the karyukai. Without someone to advocate for the people like me the process to learn and be accepted became much harder than when he was around. But it’s not the lack of knowledge that compelled me to write this. Rather, it’s to share with you the warmth and passion from such an amazing person whose images are as unique and fresh today as they were the day they were uploaded. For those that got to know him we remember this time of year with fondness and sadness as his presence can still be felt so strongly. For those who didn’t know him, it gives us a chance to share what a difference a single person has made in the lives of many, and hopefully his knowledge and spark can be passed down to others just as they were passed down to us.

Then shikomi Satsuki and Sayaka of Tsurui in Gion Kobu. He was very much looking forward to Satsuki’s debut, but sadly he would not be around to see it.

[missmyloko]

Spotlight - Special Tribute

For The First Day Of Fun I present… something very different that I haven’t done before. This is about someone who really changed the karyukai for the better, even if people will not say so on record or may be too modest to admit. This is about a person who you likely never have met nor even heard of, but they are a great reason as to why you’ve even reading this in the first place.  For privacy’s sake and the sake of their family I’m only going to tell you about the person themselves as I knew them best. Without their direct permission I will not be sharing real names, but rather just usernames. Please enjoy.

Onihide-san, The Exception To All Rules

Simple and refined.  Back when I was new to the entire karyukai scene around 2005 everything felt like a secret club. The only real information that I could find was from Kyoko Aihara’s book, and that was about it. Trying to meet other enthusiasts through forums was a bit disastrous as they cared more about who’s a queen bee and who has more items than others. I don’t remember exactly how, but one day in 2008 I landed on Flickr, and that random click would change my life. Not only did I find beautiful images of maiko and geiko, but people who were very open about their experiences! One of the biggest photographers was Onihide-san, whose page views and activity were among the highest (if not the highest) of the geimaiko photographers. It felt a bit intimidating, but I quickly realized that people who asked him questions got responses! And not just one word answers either; he would take the time to answer any question that you had as he was very excited to find other people who were interested in geimaiko.

With images as stunning as this, who wouldn’t feel intimidated? So, who was Onihide-san and why did he take photographs of maiko and geiko? Well, before he really invested heavily in photography he was a customer in Gion Kobu who had a great reputation among the geimaiko. From there, he wanted to show others what he saw, and what he saw was truly unique. Just from the way that he frames his subjects and the manages to capture their sincere emotions is a giveaway that the photograph was taken by him. You can line up a bunch of images of the same maiko from various photographers and it will always be easy to spot which one was his.

Tsuneyū of Shigenoya in Gion Higashi on stage, captured in his unique style. One of the easiest ways to see his intentions in his photographs is to look at the women in them. He may have been a street photographer at times, but you can tell that he always got consent from the women themselves to take their portraits. If they didn’t stop to pose then you can clearly see the greetings in their eyes as they converse with a well known friend. He didn’t have to go out on the streets to see maiko and geiko, but he did anyway as he loved to see them away from the formalities of an ozashiki and interact within their communities.

Kyōka of Tsurui in Gion Kobu easily recognizes the adept photographer.

Ichimomo of Ichi in Kamishichiken flashes a quick smile for a familiar face. And so he taught through his images, where memorizing the smallest detail helps to understand the entire context. Just like a minarai, you learn by observing, and it’s through these observations that you come to understand how everything added up to the way that it was and how many countless individuals come together to make the person that you see in those images. If there was something you weren’t too sure about then he’d help you out with it in a bid to teach in the most patient way possible. Instead of being stressed by a constant bombardment of questions he was excited for the chance to talk to other enthusiasts and always gave detailed answers.

Ayano of Yamaguchi in Pontocho in a moment on stage. One of the greatest things that he ever taught was to not let yourself be blinded by the old notions or hang ups of the karyukai, but rather to follow your heart and do what feels right to you. Back in those early days the Fukushima okiya had just opened, and with it came many reservations from current customers about showing their allegiance for such a new establishment as they did not want to arouse the internal politics of the karyukai. Onihide-san ignored the politics and instead focused on a wonderful maiko who seemed to be invisible to the other photographers: Ayano (彩乃). It is through his lens that Ayano became a person, not just a doll with white makeup. They genuinely liked spending time together, and it shows in every image of Ayano that he ever took. Some are silly, some are serious, while others are just in this fun spot that’s in between everything else. His popularity, along with his photographs of Ayano, are the biggest reasons that the karyukai became accessible to outsiders who had no other way to learn and to insiders who were reminded that nothing can ever change by simply following the flow. Without those images I am certain that the Fukushima okiya would not be as prosperous as it is today as his exposure of Ayano was critical at such a vulnerable time for them.

Ayano, a fresh maiko from a fresh okiya with understated beauty.

Ayano makes a fox shadow in a moment of relaxation and fun.

Ayano went from obscure to well known via Onihide-san’s influence online. In the end, you may be asking: what’s the point in making a spotlight about a single photographer like this? Yes, I would like to shine a spotlight on other photographers in the future, but this isn’t so much of a spotlight as it is a memorial. News of Onihide-san’s death broke on December 24th, 2010, eight years ago now, but it still feels so vivid. His loss marked a return to the more closed ways of the karyukai. Without someone to advocate for the people like me the process to learn and be accepted became much harder than when he was around. But it’s not the lack of knowledge that compelled me to write this. Rather, it’s to share with you the warmth and passion from such an amazing person whose images are as unique and fresh today as they were the day they were uploaded. For those that got to know him we remember this time of year with fondness and sadness as his presence can still be felt so strongly. For those who didn’t know him, it gives us a chance to share what a difference a single person has made in the lives of many, and hopefully his knowledge and spark can be passed down to others just as they were passed down to us.

Then shikomi Satsuki and Sayaka of Tsurui in Gion Kobu. He was very much looking forward to Satsuki’s debut, but sadly he would not be around to see it.

[geimaiko]

Toshiemi 

and the Treasure ship

With the new year we get to delight in images of gorgeous kuromontsuki worn by Geisha from all around Japan. Last year i featured some of my favorites from a few different hanamachi but this year i came across one i found particularly breathtaking. And to top it all off it is worn by a particularly beautiful Geiko as well: Toshiemi.

First off lets look at the stunning hikizuri: We see the famous treasure ship Takarabune used by the seven gods of fortune to sail across the heavens during the first three days of the new year. The lucky seven, the Shichifukujin are: 

Ebisu, god of prosperty and wealth who overcame many hardships and is known as “the laughing one”

Daikokuten, god of commerce and certified demon hunter

Bishamonten, god of good fortune often depicted with a hoop of fire. He is the patron of all who act according to rules and authority

Benzaiten, patron of arts and Geisha in particular

Jurojin, accompanied by a crane and a tortoise, he is the god of longevity

Hotei, god of popularity and guardian of children

Fukurokuju, god of wisdom, health and happiness 

While the lucky seven do carry five material treasures they also host the more important virtues prudence, knowledge, experience, scholarship, bravery, prosperity and long life, happiness and contentment. Because they represent so many desirable qualities, many people in Japan visit shrines dedicated to these gods during the new years celebrations to ensure a prosperous and lucky subsequent year.

While the motif of Toshiemi’s kuromontsuki, owned by Komaya, is a popular one throughout the karyukai, the marvelous execution on the hiki is exceptionally vivid and detailed. A spectacular piece to celebrate the new year, one that promises to be very successful for the model of the garment. Let’s explore further but let’s focus more on the wearer:

Debuting on February 26th of 2015, Toshiemi was a cute and smiley girl from the start. After just a few weeks of her misedashi, she was already painting both lips and omitting the dangling shidare on her kanzashi, a nod to her advanced experience as she had danced since middle school. Since her okiya boasts a 100 year old legacy, it was a great honor for the 16 year old to experience this kind of approval by her mentor the great Geiko Toshiyu, who sadly passed during Toshiemi’s apprenticeship. 

Young Toshiemi, bright and motivated, was a fan of Disney and rock band UVERworld as a teen. And even though she had the formal introduction and a week long internship before she started her Shikomi stage, she too experienced home sickness and difficulty to adjust to the rigid rules of traditionalist Komaya. During her first year she saw some girls fail because of these hurdles but giving up never seemed an option for her. Her onesan helped her cope with the wish of returning home to Ota, Tokyo. Toshiemi remembers being able to run to Toshikana, Toshiyu and others whenever she was thinking about retiring, gestures she will never forget and maybe pass on to imouto in the future.

It seems to me that Toshiemi was destined to become a great Maiko as she displayed strong determination and respect for the members of this world. When she started dancing as a child she experienced important emotional rewards with every stage performance she absolved, specially during her time in junior high school. So her dream of dancing before an audience was already established once she made her first steps in Miyagawacho. She also had the benefits of a supporting family and motivated teachers, willing to help her pursue her wishes of becoming a pretty Maiko in Kyoto. But her perseverance and talent are her own achievements and it was clear to see during her apprenticeship while she grew into a her role as a seriously competent Maiko. When her training came to an end, it seemed as if the whole world was happy to see her graduate and take the next steps into a fruitful career.

Toshiemi celebrated her erikae on November 7th of 2019. Even though her spotlight was shared with Kikuyae, who turned the collar on the same day, all eyes have always been on Toshiemi. She is a very bright star in this fleeting world.

Since we also explored Toshiemi’s first steps in the karyukai in this post, i also wanted to share a photo of her in her first kuromonstuki during her misedashi to compare how far she has come:

Toshiemi already has many of the treasures needed to be a great Geiko, seeing her come this far and overcoming so many barriers to achieve her goals, i have no doubt that she will have a very successful year 2020, her first year as a Geiko. In the end we can all agree that Toshiemi is a treasure herself and represents the virtues of Miyagawacho’s elite Geimaiko perfectly.

Sources: kaz_pfm on Instagram / Gottuans’s room

[stickyfrogs]

If you would like to donate to wildlife affected by the Australian Bushfires, ZoosVictoria has established the Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund. 100% of funds will go towards supporting the wildlife affected by the bushfires.

https://donate.zoo.org.au/donation

Posted @withrepost • @zoosvictoria The Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund is now live and accepting donations.

Your tax-deductible donation will go towards ensuring long-term care for bushfire impacted animals, including endangered species, such as supplementary feeding and habitat restoration in conjunction with @delwp_vic, @parksvic and associated recovery teams.

We appreciate the thousands of messages and comments showing such love and support for our wildlife. To make a donation, click the link in bio.

[tsuyueigokagai]

I know this isn't really on topic with my blog, but I think it's really important to at least spread the word

[missmyloko]

December 13th, 2019: Kotohajime (事始め) has taken place in each kagai, with maiko and geiko visiting their teachers to exchange new year’s gifts and in return receive a new dance fan for the upcoming year. Over in Gion Kobu Tsurui (つる居), Hiroshimaya (廣島屋), Odamoto (小田本), and Nishimura (西村) proudly made the rounds with their shikomi in tow who will be debuting in 2020. More exciting though is seeing Tomoko (朋子) of Nishimura finally wearing the sakkō hairstyle! Her erikae is this week on December 17th, so look forward to it! Pictured above are the women of the Nishimura okiya. They are (from R to L): Mihoko (美帆子), Yukako (有佳子), Makiko (槇子), Tomoko (朋子), Mariko (槇里子), Miwako (美羽子), Asako (亜佐子), Shikomi, and Masako (槇沙子) ^^ Image is courtesy of Yojiya.

[geimaiko]

Mukojima’s new Geisha

Kingyo has now finally completed her training as a Hangyoku and started her new path as a Geisha. Congratulations to her, she stuck around for a very long time to achieve this goal and can be very proud!

@maigeiko beat me to it 😘 but i was so excited i could not help myself but post too!

Source: Futaba on Instagram

[taghna-deactivated20211125]

how can people be so rude and don’t feel bad afterwards… When I don’t say thank you or don’t smile back I’ll think about it for 3 months straight and have flashbacks

[tsuyueigokagai]

I remember one Christmas I got all these amazing gifts from Santa and my parents got me these really nice clothes so I could play in the snow (my favorite thing) I said thank you of course but that night I cried so hard because I didn't think I was showing enough appreciation and letting Santa's gifts overshadow my parents. It haunted me for years. Even after I grew up and realized Santa was just my parents it still made my stomach sink.

[missmyloko]

Please Myloko~ what would be the translation for precious bean? We've been calling the kitten Mame for a nickname ^^

The kanji for precious is 貴, so 貴豆 would be the writing for Precious Bean. That would be pronounced as Tattomame or Tōtomame ^^If you wanted it like a karyukai name then it would be Mameki 豆貴 ^^

[tsuyueigokagai]

Thank you so much! Y'all, meet little Mameki~ Myloko, thanks a bundle, you're a hero in this household!

[tsuyueigokagai]

Geiko Mamefuji-san is back in full swing and the photographers couldn't be happier~ check out this super serene and classic looking photo taken by the super talented Kichirobi on Instagram.

You can find the original photograph here

Welcome back Mamefuji-san!!!

[angelic--blossoms]

i s s h e r e a l l y b a c k  s h e b a c k g u y s 

[tsuyueigokagai]

Yes indeed~ she's really back ^^

[tsuyueigokagai]

Geiko Mamefuji-san is back in full swing and the photographers couldn't be happier~ check out this super serene and classic looking photo taken by the super talented Kichirobi on Instagram.

You can find the original photograph here

Welcome back Mamefuji-san!!!

[mxdeer]

                                         Sharks and Visitors.

[tsuyueigokagai]

Love this~